The Oregon PowerNow 40V cordless electric chainsaw makes tree trimming and brush work a breeze. Pop in a battery, check the oil and start cutting. No fuel mixing, no pull cord, no stalled engine, and no hassle.

When the manufacturer offered to send one of their new chainsaws to FARM SHOW for testing, I jumped at the chance. The 14-in. bar model I received seemed almost too simple. The lithium ion battery pack charged up quickly. After adding chainsaw oil, I checked its level through the window. Once I inserted a battery pack, all I had to do was press the trigger release and pull the trigger. The cutting chain was at 6,400 rpm’s immediately.

Once both battery packs were charged up, I headed for the woods. The company sent the standard battery pack with listed capacity of 1.25 Ah/47 Wh. They also included an endurance battery pack with a 2.4 Ah/89 Wh, nominal capacity. Both battery packs have a nifty charge check LED panel. Press a button, and one to four lights show how much charge remains.

At just 11.2 lbs. with the standard pack and 12.2 lbs. with the endurance pack, it’s easy to reach up and prune branches. I sliced away a variety of smaller stems and branches, finishing up with a 5-in. dia. sapling. I ran through the standard battery’s charge and swapped batteries, cutting more.

I quickly learned to not overload the saw. Make it work too hard by pushing down on a large cut, and the extra heat load can trip the thermal overload sensor. Let the saw pull itself through the wood, and that’s not a problem.

The chainsaw is equipped with a PowerSharp built-in sharpener (see Vol. 35, No. 1) and I wanted to test it so I wasn’t too careful about digging into the dirt or hitting an occasional stone. Once I noticed the saw not pulling itself through the wood, I engaged the PowerSharp. With the electric motor running full bore, I watched sparks fly for about 5 seconds, and the saw was back at optimum operation.

After more cutting, the electric motor ground to a halt. The second battery was dead. The nice thing is that if you have one last stem to cut or a little more cut to make to drop a sapling, wait a few minutes, and you’ll get a final burst or two of cutting.

Two days later, I headed for the woods again with both packs charged. This time I was counting. Locating a downed poplar, I began limbing the tree with the standard battery pack. I made about 60 cuts of 2 to 6 in. in about 10 min. before the battery tuckered out. Switching to the endurance pack, I made 20, 6 to 10-in. diameter cuts before running out of juice. The company claims the endurance battery pack can cut up to 250 2 to 3-in. branches on a single charge.

How long the saw will cut on a battery pack depends on how sharp the cutting chain is and how hard the wood is. I wouldn’t get this out when I was planning to cut up an oak tree for firewood. However, I would love to have it around for those quick trimming jobs that are easy to put off for lack of a fresh batch of mixed fuel. I’ve spent my time on ladders cutting limbs, and this would be a charm for such “less safe” jobs.

“For many homeowners, it could replace a gas saw entirely,” says David Lofurno, Oregon PowerNow Tools. “For regular chainsaw users, it’s an added tool for occasional work. However, one landscaper told me he hasn’t used his gas chainsaw for months since getting the PowerNow.”

There are downsides to the electric drive. If material is dragged back into the drive sprocket, the motor will stop. However, cleanout is quick. Just remember to pop the battery out for safety sake.

It’s also important to have a clear bar when starting. While the torque is immediate once the motor starts, even a small stem against the chain can prevent start-up. The easy start could be a concern for anyone with children around. Keeping the batteries in a separate cupboard or shelf might be a good idea.